driftfleet | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Who: Caster, everyone, and one unfortunate victim.
Broadcast: Text! Anonymous text. She's so sneaky.
Action: On the Vanquish!
When: Backdated to yesterday, the 19th!

[Bright and early in the morning, there's an anonymous text post flagged as urgent to the network. Does the network even have urgent flags? It apparently does now. Magic is great.]

ATTENTION, FLEET:
Today is the birthday of an incredibly amazing and talented person! The Vanquish's very own Hermione Granger!
It seems like she's keeping it secret, because she's humble along with everything else, but that won't do at all! People of importance have to be recognized!
So, be sure to shower her plenty of love and praise today, and also gifts! Birthday presents are important too!
All celebrators are to come to the Vanquish immediately!
This is how birthdays work, right?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A gift from the Atroma.

[ She smiles, definitely shy and uncertain. ]

I already showed Erik. This is nothing compared to him, of course - I'm like... a fridge.

[ He grins back. ]

It's still fascinating. I had no idea you could gain abilities that way.

I have another one, too. I can calm people down - when I'm giving them potions or medicine. I just help them relax.

[ Her fingers wrap around the screw and she holds it gently. It's obviously important to her even if it's tiny and silly. ]

It helps with people who don't like magic.

It sounds like you've chosen useful abilities to keep and hone.

[ He wonders what others are there. ] I didn't know people weren't fond of magic.

I miss my healing magic from the Drabwurld. It was amazing, I could just make a bubble and fix hurts.

[ She pauses, though, before she nods. ]

There was a man who messed around with his augment - he didn't like witches. And... Well, a friend of mine doesn't trust magic.

[ He nods quietly. ]

People are quick to pass judgement. I try not to hold it against them.

No, I know. I don't blame them, really. I just wish it wasn't like this - because I am my magic. Maybe I'm too used to being trusted.

. . . I wish I knew what it was like. To be trusted. Ten years at the school has helped me in that regard. Time here has helped too, a little.

[ She looks over, expression hesitant for a moment before she shifts closer. ]

I trust you. Nothing has changed that.

[ He smiles. ]

I know it hasn't. Otherwise I wouldn't have spoken of it. It's enough that some people do, than it is to look at the ones who don't.

It's hard to remember sometimes. It hurts when people reject you, but... there are going to be people who will.

[ She softens, bowing her head to look at the mess of dog tags and charms around her neck. ]

The people you love and who love you... They're the ones that you should look to.

[ He nods. ]

It will always be hard, but thankfully, we're better than that.

[ Hermione wants to ask and say so many things, but she knows it's not the time. She might be tired of being the one holding things together, the one that has to be better, be good, haunted by her past and her mistakes, but she can't voice it. Instead, she sips her tea and nods her head, looking over at Charles with a fondness she can't hide. ]

... I've missed talking to you, you know. I hope you're a little more settled in now.

I'm certainly improved.

[ On what, he won't say, though he softens a little. ] I'm sorry I took so long.

[ She shakes her head, smiling. ]

It doesn't matter how long it takes. As long as you're doing okay. That's what matters to me.

[ He smiles back. ]

The reverse is true, you realize.

Oh, I know. And I'm going to do my best to be as forthcoming with you as I can be.

Then let me ask this.

Are you really okay?

[ She plays with her fingers idly for a moment before she breathes out, lifting her head up to look at Charles. ]

I... I'm not really sure.

Would you like to . . . [ He gestures to his head with a quirk of his fingers. His telepathy has improved, though his shields are not at its best. ]

Hm? Oh! [ Hermione might know consciously that Charles is a telepath, but - she doesn't take advantage of it... Or she tries not to. Shifting, she turns her head back and offers him a smile. ] Are you sure?

[ He shrugs, nonchalant. ]

Why not? It might be easier to express that way.

[ He's nonchalant, but Hermione is cautious, watching him before she softens. Nodding her head, she closes her eyes and tries to smile. ]

It is easier - I know that from experience. As long as you tell me to stop if it gets too much?

[ He nods. ]

I promise.

[ She's still hesitant, but that's not because she doesn't trust Charles - it's because she doesn't want to place this on his shoulders. It doesn't feel right, no matter how many times he offers, how many versions of him she comes to care about.

But she does. She opens her mind and relaxes, just like she did so many times in the Drabwurld, and she just breathes.

What's pressing at the forefront of her mind is what she learned from Katsa, about Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh, who had tried to murder her best friend, who had called her a queen, a word Hermione had thought was meant for her, Gilgamesh who she had trusted so much and she now realises was likely laughing behind her back. Using her. Manipulating her for his own ends. Saying the right things to her, the perfect things, to make her do what she wanted, like a puppet.

It's enough to make her question her other friendships, or at least the ones she knew were touched by Gilgamesh himself. Did Dorian want other things from her as well? Did Flora? Gawain? Diarmuid she knew didn't, but that was only because they had been connected, mind to mind, spirit to spirit.

Under all of that, though, is something she can't escape from. Even with Katsa here, even with a friend close, there's a bone-deep, exhausting loneliness that she can't run away from. The only thing she can do is let it settle inside of her like some kind of sickness, sapping her energy even as she tries to be happy. She's so used to being around friends and family that being here and being alone... It's hurting her, and she doesn't know how to voice it. ]